News – MeriTalk

Senate Confirms Adam Cassady as State’s Cyber Ambassador

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:55:50 GMT

The Senate on Aug. 7 voted to confirm Adam Cassady to serve as the ambassador at large for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP) at the State Department.

The Senate confirmed Cassady in a 51-47 vote as part of a package of more than 70 nominees.

President Donald Trump nominated Cassady for the role in March. Cassady currently serves as the principal deputy assistant secretary and deputy administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), where he supports the development and implementation of telecommunications and information policies.

Before joining NTIA, Cassady worked at the Federal Communications Commission for more than four years, serving as a chief of staff and senior legal advisor for Commissioner Nathan Simington.

Cassady is the second person to hold the ambassador-at-large role since the CDP was established in 2022. Nathaniel Fick served in the position under the Biden administration, but the position has been vacant since Fick departed in January 2025.

After a State Department reorganization last year, the CDP was moved under the agency’s Economic Growth office.

Senate Confirms Schiess as Next Space Force Chief

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:52:16 GMT

Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess has been confirmed as the next chief of space operations, making him the third person to serve as the U.S. Space Force’s highest-ranking officer since the service was established in December 2019.

Schiess, who President Donald Trump nominated in May, will replace Gen. Chance Saltzman, who is expected to retire this month. Saltzman has served as chief of space operations since November 2022.
Schiess assumes leadership as the Space Force seeks its highest budget request to date.

The Space Force’s fiscal 2027 budget proposal totals $71.1 billion, a $39.5 billion increase over fiscal 2026. The proposal includes $40.7 billion for research and development to support a more resilient and responsive space architecture, $21.6 billion for space control capabilities, $30.7 billion for global mission operations, $7.8 billion for space access, and $14.8 billion for enterprise-level investments, including infrastructure, testing, and workforce readiness.

Schiess has served as deputy chief of space operations for operations since November 2025. In that role, he was responsible for the development and implementation of policy for all Space Force global operations, sustainment, training, and readiness. He also served as the operations deputy to the chief of space operations for matters involving the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Schiess entered the Air Force in 1992 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of California, Los Angeles. He transferred to the Space Force in 2022.

During his career, Schiess has held command positions at the squadron, group, wing, joint component, and field command levels. He also has deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Resolute Support, and Inherent Resolve.

VA Rolls Out Chatbot to Assist Staff Using the Federal EHR

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 19:18:19 GMT

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on Aug. 4 that it recently rolled out a new chatbot, VA ChatEHR, to assist VA staff using the new Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) system.

According to a VA press release, VA ChatEHR has answered over 53,000 questions from more than 8,000 users since April. VA said the tool aims to make the transition to the Federal EHR system smoother, guiding staff through system steps to complete tasks efficiently.

“VA ChatEHR has quickly become a reliable go-to source for VA staff to get answers to their questions about the Federal EHR, and it enables them to stay focused on providing timely, high-quality care to veterans,” the VA said. “The artificial intelligence-powered chatbot gives VA staff quick, accurate guidance to help them complete tasks in the system.”

In a LinkedIn post, VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence, who oversees the agency’s Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program, said the VA built the tool with feedback from VA clinicians and front-line staff.

“VA ChatEHR offers safe, accurate guidance pulled directly from approved workflows, policies, and training materials,” Lawrence said.

To protect veteran privacy and safety, the agency said that VA ChatEHR does not access veteran health records or assist with clinical decision-making.

VA resumed rollouts of the Federal EHR in April after pausing deployments in April 2023 alongside contractor Oracle Health – formerly Oracle Cerner – following concerns from users at early deployment sites. The agency said it has since fixed problems related to the initial rollout.

The Federal EHR go-lives in Michigan in April and in Ohio and Kentucky in June went smoothly.

VA Secretary Doug Collins told lawmakers in April that the agency’s EHRM rollouts have “been a success.” Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., also vouched for the success of the rollouts in his home state, saying, “The reports have been very positive from the folks in Michigan.”

VA said that those recent deployments also illustrate how ChatEHR has been helpful to staff during the transition period.

“Staff at those sites leveraged VA ChatEHR thousands of times in the first weeks of using the new system,” the VA said. “Pharmacy staff noted that the tool supported them when questions involved tasks outside their usual work, such as patient registration. With immediate access to approved VA instructions, teams could adapt to new processes while continuing to provide expedient care to veterans.”

Under VA’s current 2026 schedule, the department has slated three Federal EHR deployments for August at Fort Wayne VAMC in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Marion VAMC in Marion, Ind.; and Richard L. Roudebush VAMC in Indianapolis. VA also plans October deployments at Alaska VA Healthcare System in Anchorage and Louis Stokes Cleveland VAMC in Cleveland.

Army Launches Portal to Give Industry Test Range Access Within 30 Days

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:55:14 GMT

The U.S. Army launched a new online portal designed to cut industry wait times for live testing of defense technologies from 12 to 18 months to a 30-day access standard, Army officials announced Friday.

The initiative, called Test Range Army, gives commercial companies a single entry point to request access to military test ranges for research, development, and rapid experimentation.

During a media briefing, Army leaders told reporters the effort is intended to accelerate innovation by making specialized testing environments more accessible to companies of all sizes, including startups without existing government contracts.

Companies can submit requests through TestRange.army.mil, which Army officials described as a digital “front door” for industry. Companies do not need an existing U.S. government contract or prior federal relationship to request access, and each applicant will be assigned a dedicated concierge to help navigate scheduling and identify an appropriate range.

“We have created this new portal that should look very similar to when you go out in the consumer sector and want to book a thing,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said. “We have made it a literal concierge-esque experience, where each company will get one human being that will help them through the process, that will get them to the range and ensure that it is successful.”

“This should be an easy-to-use experience that is as interchangeable with every website you access in your regular life, with the calendaring features, with the booking features that the rest of the industry uses,” Driscoll added.

Participating locations include Dugway Proving Ground in Utah; West Cibola Range, a newly opened component of Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona; Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in Mississippi; Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center in Michigan; and the Multidomain Training Area range complex, a component of the Africa Multidomain Training and Experimentation Center in Morocco.

The effort is being led by the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command in partnership with the Mississippi and Michigan National Guard and U.S. Africa Command. Officials said the initiative prioritizes commercial access to environments suited for testing drones, counter-drone technologies, long-range fires, and low-cost interceptors.

Driscoll said the Army ultimately wants to generate enough industry demand to keep participating ranges operating as many as three shifts per day.

“This is good government. This is states working with the federal government across political parties to break down barriers,” Driscoll said.

The 30-day standard does not guarantee companies their preferred range or testing date. Capacity and other constraints may affect availability, with the concierge team working with applicants to identify suitable locations and schedules.

Covenant serves as first Test Range Army pathfinder

Covenant Industries became the first company to serve as a “pathfinder” through the new process, completing a flight test of its Anthem missile in Morocco.

“Together, we demonstrated not only the performance of the Anthem missile, but also a repeatable pathway now available to every company through TestRange.army.mil,” Covenant Industries President Abby Denburg said.

Driscoll said Covenant completed the process in 13 days, after the Army asked the company on short notice whether it could transport its missile to Morocco and prepare for the test.

Denburg said Anthem has undergone a developmental flight-test campaign that included a successful live-fire demonstration at Project Convergence in July and the latest test in Morocco.

“Together, these efforts continue to validate the maturity of Anthem in representative military environments and support the transition towards fielding,” she said.

Covenant plans to begin delivering production-ready systems from its manufacturing line in early 2027, Denburg said.

When asked whether Covenant’s testing had resulted in an Army contract, officials on the podium said they could not answer.

Denburg said access to realistic military testing environments remains a significant challenge for emerging defense companies as they work to move technologies from development toward operational use.

“For emerging defense companies, one of the greatest challenges is bridging the gap between promising technology and an operational capability,” Denburg said. “Modeling and simulation are important, but they can’t replace the engineering knowledge gained from flying real hardware. Every flight validates assumptions and uncovers opportunities for improvement.”

Rep. Ro Khanna Introduces Data Center Bill of Rights

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:25:00 GMT

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., introduced a resolution on Aug. 6 outlining a “Data Center Bill of Rights” that would give communities greater authority over artificial intelligence (AI) data center development and establish protections around electricity costs, water use, and environmental impacts.

The resolution calls for prohibiting data centers in residential areas and within 2,500 feet of homes, schools, childcare facilities, hospitals, and nursing homes.

It would also affirm communities’ ability to reject proposed facilities through a transparent process and preserve local governments’ authority to regulate or prohibit data center development without state preemption.

“Families should not face higher electricity bills, depleted water supplies, or increased pollution from data centers in their communities,” Khanna said in a press release. “Americans deserve the right to know what is being proposed, to decide what gets built in their neighborhoods, and to share in the economic benefits.”

The proposal comes as AI computing demands drive growth in large-scale data center infrastructure. More than 4,400 data center facilities are listed across all 50 states, according to data cited in the release from Data Center Map. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory projects that U.S. hyperscale data centers could directly consume up to 33 billion gallons of water annually by 2028.

In a video posted to X about the resolution, Khanna said that communities should have the right to oppose data centers and specifically called for a pause on new data centers in Pennsylvania.

“I was recently traveling through Pennsylvania. I believe there needs to be a pause in that state on these data centers,” Khanna said. “You can’t have dozens of these data centers popping up across the state when communities oppose them.”

The resolution more broadly calls for allowing states to pause new data center development until protections are in place to prevent higher electricity bills, protect local water supplies, and give communities a role in siting decisions.

It also says households and small businesses should not face increased electricity rates or fees because of data centers. Operators would be expected to use “clean and reliable energy” and meet limits on noise and air pollution.

Before project approval, the resolution calls for an independent, publicly available impact report examining electricity demand, utility bills, public health, pollution, housing, expected job creation, and economic impacts over 10 years.

Data center operators would also disclose projected water consumption to local water providers, obtain a written compatibility determination before project approval, and submit semiannual water usage reports for public review.

The proposal further affirms that data center owners, operators, and developers pay state and local taxes and ‘ensure that any tax exemption or public subsidy includes strong labor standards, full transparency, and clawback provisions when those conditions are not met,’ according to the release.”

GAO Says DOGE ‘Wall of Receipts’ Contains Inaccurate Savings Estimates

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:42:06 GMT

The Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) “Wall of Receipts” webpage contains inaccurate cost savings estimates and unsubstantiated claims, according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.

The Aug. 6 report, requested by Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., revealed that DOGE failed to provide enough information to verify 96% of its claimed savings. As of July 7, 2026, the Wall of Receipts reported savings of $110 billion across contracts, grants, and leases.

“The data quality issues identified in this report limit the value of the Wall of Receipts to policymakers,” GAO said. “In addition, when government data are not reliable, it can hinder the public’s trust in government.”

GAO identified several issues limiting the transparency and reliability of DOGE’s reported savings.

For instance, GAO said that DOGE was not transparent regarding the methodologies used to calculate savings, and that it “did not use its stated methodology to calculate the majority of savings associated with the contracts reported as terminated.” The watchdog also said the Wall of Receipts does not explain how savings from terminated leases were calculated.

Additionally, GAO said the Wall of Receipts includes leases identified for termination before DOGE was established.

“Specifically, 108 of the 264 leases identified for termination on the Wall of Receipts, about $15.3 million of the total $53.5 million in savings, were already in process for termination when DOGE was established,” GAO said.

The watchdog added that the basis for some reported contract savings is unknown.

For example, GAO said DOGE claimed $1.7 billion in savings tied to a Department of Defense Defense Health Agency IT services contract covering more than 700 military treatment facilities worldwide. According to GAO, while DOGE initially identified the contract for termination, the contract ultimately was not terminated or reduced in scope, value, or funding, meaning no savings were realized.

GAO said that the Wall of Receipts webpage – which remains live as of Aug. 6 – does not disclose limitations affecting data quality sufficiently. The watchdog recommended that DOGE ensure that known data quality issues and limitations are prominently displayed on the Wall of Receipts.

GAO said DOGE “did not respond to GAO’s request for information or interviews.”

President Donald Trump created DOGE on the first day of his new administration via an executive order that rebranded the U.S. Digital Service as the U.S. DOGE Service, with a focus on modernizing federal government technology to improve efficiency and productivity. Trump tapped Elon Musk to lead the DOGE effort.

DOGE officially terminated on July 4, 2026, as outlined in the executive order. The White House said last month that it does not plan to issue a final report assessing the performance of DOGE, including its government-wide cost-cutting efforts.

“Everyone supports rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government, but DOGE was a slapdash and deceptive effort that misled the American people while doing real damage to the government’s ability to serve them,” Peters said in a statement.

“Elon Musk and the Trump Administration claimed billions of dollars in savings it could not substantiate, took credit for work already underway, and refused to show its work, all while putting Americans’ sensitive data at risk and hollowing out critical agencies,” he added.

GAO Says Missing Records Obscure DOGE Ethics, Disclosure Compliance

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:38:52 GMT

A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found it could not determine whether Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) personnel completed required ethics and records management training or filed required financial disclosures because the Executive Office of the President (EOP) and 10 executive agencies did not provide all requested records.

President Donald Trump established DOGE through a Jan. 20, 2025, executive order that renamed the U.S. Digital Service as the U.S. DOGE Service (USDS) within the EOP and created a temporary organization to carry out DOGE initiatives across the executive branch.

GAO identified 206 individuals who held DOGE positions within the EOP between Jan. 20, 2025, and Jan. 31, 2026. Of those, 27 were identified as special government employees (SGEs).

According to the report, SGEs may have substantial financial interests outside the federal government that can conflict with their federal responsibilities. Federal ethics requirements, including training and financial disclosure requirements, are intended to help identify and mitigate potential conflicts of interest.

GAO said EOP officials told auditors that DOGE personnel receive the same ethics and records management training as other EOP employees.

“However, EOP did not respond to GAO’s requests for access to training records and financial disclosures for DOGE personnel,” the report states. “As a result, GAO could not determine all DOGE personnel who received training or completed financial disclosures with EOP.”

GAO also sought information from 25 executive agencies where DOGE personnel may have served. Nine agencies provided records covering 64 DOGE personnel, while six agencies reported they had no personnel meeting GAO’s review criteria. However, 10 agencies either did not provide the requested information or failed to do so in time for GAO’s review.

Based on the records it received, GAO found that 49 personnel completed ethics training, 18 completed records management training, and 38 filed financial disclosures at those agencies. But because records from the EOP and 10 agencies were incomplete or unavailable, GAO said it could not determine overall compliance.

The report also highlighted questions about ethics oversight for DOGE personnel.

According to GAO, officials from the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) said the agency oversees executive branch ethics programs rather than monitoring individual employees’ compliance.

Yet, according to GAO, OGE officials said, “their office has not reviewed an EOP ethics program since 2023 and has no plans to review USDS’s program in the next 4 years because the temporary organization within USDS terminated on July 4, 2026.”

GAO acknowledged that the temporary organization had expired but noted that the executive order did not eliminate the broader USDS within the EOP. As a result, GAO said, the organization and personnel at executive agencies could continue supporting DOGE initiatives even after the temporary entity ended.

Senate Democrats Seek Answers on White House AI Model Oversight

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:32:44 GMT

A group of five Senate Democrats is pressing the Trump administration to establish a transparent, government-wide process for restricting access to frontier artificial intelligence (AI) models.

Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Mark Warner, D-Va., Christopher Coons, D-Del., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., sent a letter on Aug. 3 to senior Trump administration officials, asking them to “provide an unclassified response, with a classified annex if necessary, clarifying the Administration’s current policy and approach to limiting access to advanced AI models.”

“The Administration’s ad hoc and unpredictable approach undermines U.S. competitiveness, heightening market incentives to adopt open weight models from vendors based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC),” they wrote.

The letter comes after the Trump administration forced Anthropic to suspend access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 by any foreign national, whether inside or outside the United States. Similarly, the senators said OpenAI also limited public access to its newest model, GPT-5.6, following discussions with the Trump administration.

“If American models are perceived as subject to sudden access disruptions based on a black-box U.S. Government process, or as unreliable because U.S. AI labs are overcorrecting in the face of this black-box process, companies and governments in the United States and abroad may hedge by adopting Chinese or other foreign models instead,” the senators wrote.

They also cited the Trump administration’s June 2 executive order that asks AI companies to voluntarily submit their advanced AI models to the federal government for testing up to 30 days before they plan to release such models to other partners.

Under the order, the administration was tasked with creating a framework to test advanced AI capabilities, but senators said “many questions of implementation remain.”

According to reporting from Axios this week, the White House met its deadline to establish a voluntary framework for evaluating advanced AI models. However, the administration has not publicly said what the framework contains, who has seen it, or when companies will start using it.

“Ultimately, a rigorous, predictable, and competitiveness-enhancing process for evaluating frontier models requires a statutory framework,” the senators wrote. “We encourage the Administration to work with Congress to develop a public, durable, and technically grounded framework that allows U.S. companies and their customers to understand the rules of the road.”

The senators want a response to their letter within 30 days.

Space Force Awards $615M for Second Round of Aircraft-Tracking Satellite Contracts

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:02:53 GMT

The U.S. Space Force has awarded three initial firm-fixed-price other transaction authority (OTA) agreements worth a combined $615 million to advance the next phase of its effort to develop satellites capable of tracking moving aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles from orbit.

The awards, announced under the Space-Based Sensing and Targeting portfolio, represent the second task order for the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) program. The effort aims to mature emerging technologies, expand the industrial base, and develop multiple sensing capabilities to support future operational needs for the joint force.

The latest agreements build on a $4.16 billion OTA award announced in May to SpaceX to develop an initial SB-AMTI satellite constellation. That contract is intended to enable the Space Force to field an operational airborne moving target indicator constellation by 2028.

According to the Space Force, the second task order has two primary objectives: broadening the program’s vendor base and advancing multiple sensing technologies rather than relying on a single technical approach.

Rocket Lab, STR LLC, and a third company whose identity was withheld for operational security reasons received the awards.

The agreements were competitively awarded through a previously established indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity pool of SB-AMTI industry partners. The acquisition strategy is intended to accelerate fielding of critical capabilities, mature manufacturing solutions, and foster long-term competition as the service expands a resilient SB-AMTI architecture.

“Our mandate is clear: we must move fast and aggressively harness the innovation of the commercial sector,” said Space Force Col. Ryan Frazier, acting portfolio acquisition executive for space-based sensing and targeting.

“The core focus of this second task order is diversifying our capabilities and ensuring we don’t rely on a single technical solution,” Frazier said. “With these new partnerships, we are exploring unique innovations and technologies and fundamentally different ways to accomplish the airborne moving target indication mission. Maturing these varied technical solutions now gives us distinct performance advantages for the future and guarantees we are fielding the absolute best technology available.”

Frazier said the awards also reflect the service’s broader effort to expand participation beyond the companies selected in the program’s initial phase.

“While our initial awards allowed us to rapidly establish a baseline, these new agreements demonstrate our commitment to expanding our partnerships,” he said. “A resilient space architecture demands a robust, competitive industrial base, and tapping into the broader commercial market is how we get there.”

The SB-AMTI program is designed to provide a space-based alternative to the Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft while strengthening the military’s airborne moving target indicator capabilities.

The Space Force said expanding its pool of commercial partners is expected to increase competition, reduce supply chain constraints, mitigate industrial risk, and accelerate technology development. Pursuing multiple sensing technologies also is intended to improve the survivability and adaptability of the future architecture by providing different methods of delivering the capability across a range of operational environments.

DHS Awards $1.5B Counter-Drone Contract

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 19:30:14 GMT

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded 12 companies positions on a counter-unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) contract vehicle with a shared ceiling of up to $1.5 billion. The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract has separate tracks for technology products and comprehensive services.

According to procurement documents on USAspending.gov, the five-year ordering period began Aug. 1 and runs through July 31, 2031.

According to solicitation documents, DHS plans to spend up to $1 billion on hardware and software, and about $489 million for comprehensive services.

The first track of the contract covers counter-drone hardware, software, and ancillary services. DHS selected Dedrone Defense, D-Fend Solutions AD, Leidos, Fortem Technologies, CACI Federal, BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, and EMS Defense Technologies after receiving 57 offers.

Track one contractors will provide the physical components and software for DHS to test and operate counter-UAS tools, as well as necessary training, maintenance, installation, customization, and support.

The second track covers comprehensive counter-drone services. Awardees are Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics Information Technology, Parsons Government Services, BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Leidos, Anduril Industries, and Astrion Group. DHS received 47 offers for the second track.

Contractors under track two will provide system integration, research and development, test and evaluation support, and C-UAS as a service.

Leidos and BAE Systems secured positions on both tracks.

CRS Report Outlines Congressional Options in Anthropic Dispute

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 19:23:32 GMT

A Congressional Research Service (CRS) report outlines several paths Congress could take as disputes between the federal government and Anthropic raise questions about the government’s authority to restrict AI providers, the future of frontier AI development, and U.S. competitiveness.

CRS is a nonpartisan shared staff of researchers that provides information to congressional committees and members of Congress.

The report, released July 31, examines the ongoing disputes between the federal government and Anthropic and how they could affect U.S. AI competitiveness, frontier AI development, and competition in the broader AI market. It also presents Congress with several options, including increased oversight, new legislation, or allowing the courts to resolve the disputes before lawmakers intervene.

Inside the Anthropic dispute

The dispute between the federal government and Anthropic began in late December 2025, when the Department of Defense (DOD) and the AI company clashed over how the department intended to use Anthropic’s Claude AI models.

Under the Trump administration, the DOD was rebranded as the Department of War.

DOD sought to use Claude for “all lawful purposes,” including sensitive military and intelligence applications. Anthropic objected to two proposed uses: mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons, arguing the technology was not sufficiently reliable for those applications.

The conflict escalated after President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to sever ties with Anthropic, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated the company a supply-chain risk. Anthropic responded by filing two lawsuits alleging unlawful retaliation, while the administration has defended the designation as a lawful national security measure.

The litigation has since produced conflicting rulings on the federal government’s authority to restrict AI providers on national security grounds. In California, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction while the case moves forward. Separately, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit declined to halt the Pentagon’s restrictions. The differing rulings could ultimately send the dispute to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The report also examines a separate Commerce Department action involving Anthropic’s AI models. On June 12, 2026, the department required Anthropic to restrict access to its Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models for “any foreign national, whether inside or outside of the United States.”

Anthropic responded by disabling access to both models for all customers. The Commerce Department lifted the restrictions on June 30, allowing Anthropic to redeploy both models.

Broader implications

According to the report, the federal government’s actions against Anthropic raise broader questions about how restrictions on AI companies could affect competition, innovation, and U.S. competitiveness in frontier AI.

CRS says government actions that limit Anthropic’s ability to develop frontier AI models could reduce competition in the rapidly evolving AI market.

The report also points to concerns raised by trade groups, former defense officials, academics, and technology policy leaders that designating an American AI company as a national security risk could discourage innovation, weaken U.S. competitiveness, and create uncertainty for entrepreneurs and investors.

It cites a letter to congressional committees arguing that “blacklisting an American company weakens U.S. competitiveness” and warning that “this is not a marketplace any serious entrepreneur or investor can build around.”

At the same time, the report notes that the controversy appeared to increase public awareness of Claude, which became the most downloaded free app on Apple’s U.S. App Store on Feb. 28. By comparison, OpenAI’s agreement with the Pentagon reportedly prompted backlash from some users, leading some to uninstall ChatGPT.

Beyond the domestic market, the report says Anthropic’s temporary withdrawal of its Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models renewed efforts in other countries to reduce reliance on American AI technology. It also notes that some analysts criticized the Commerce Department’s decision to reverse the export restrictions as lacking transparency.

The report also says the dispute highlights broader questions about the capabilities, risks, and governance of frontier AI models, which are increasingly being deployed across federal agencies.

To illustrate those concerns, the report cites the U.K. AI Security Institute’s December 2025 Frontier AI Trends Report, which found that while safeguards are improving across leading frontier AI systems, evaluators identified “vulnerabilities in every system [it] tested.”

The federal government’s current approach to frontier AI oversight relies primarily on Executive Order 14409, issued June 2, which established a voluntary framework allowing developers of advanced frontier AI models to share systems with the federal government for national security and cybersecurity assessments up to 30 days before public release.

Options for Congress

Rather than endorsing a specific response, the report presents lawmakers with several options, ranging from increased oversight and new legislation to allowing the courts to resolve the disputes before Congress acts.

Congress could conduct oversight of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) authority to designate Anthropic as a supply-chain risk and examine how such actions affect private-sector innovation. Lawmakers also could consider legislation governing the use of AI in sensitive applications, including public surveillance, while establishing a regulatory framework that balances safety, national security, and innovation.

Lawmakers have already begun introducing legislation addressing many of the issues raised by the disputes.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s, D-Mich., AI Guardrails Act would prohibit the Pentagon from using AI to authorize nuclear launches, conduct lethal drone strikes without explicit human authorization, or deploy AI for mass surveillance.

Rep. Adam Schiff’s, D-Calif., Human Authority in Lethal Operations Act would require a designated human commander to retain final authority over any use of force involving autonomous or semi-autonomous AI weapons systems.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s, D-N.Y., Secure and Accountable Military AI Act would restrict the Pentagon’s use of AI for domestic surveillance, nuclear deployment, and fully autonomous weapons systems.

Alternatively, CRS says Congress could defer action until federal courts determine the legality of the Trump administration’s actions, allowing the litigation to shape any future legislative response.

FedRAMP Director Placed on Administrative Leave

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 16:34:56 GMT

FedRAMP Director Pete Waterman has been placed on administrative leave after making comments on social media that criticized veterans’ preference in federal hiring, a General Services Administration (GSA) spokesperson confirmed to MeriTalk.

Waterman, who has served as the FedRAMP director since August 2024, made those comments in a July 9 LinkedIn post.

FedRAMP is a program overseen by GSA. It aims to provide a standardized, government-wide approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services used by federal agencies.

“Veterans preference is brutally unfair when taken to the extreme of blocking any consideration of non-veterans, but we’re seeing that everywhere these days,” Waterman wrote. “Even Tech Force wouldn’t let us look at normal folks until we made offers to all the veterans first.”

Waterman also apologized to applicants for the newly launched FedRAMP Cybersecurity Service, writing, “We were told we’d have access to the highest qualified candidates based on the specialized experience and job analysis worksheets we created but our HR decided instead to only review veteran applicants.”

“The future for FedRAMP is pretty dark if we can’t hire experts from private sector who have actually worked on cloud services,” he added.

Veterans’ preference recognizes the economic loss suffered by citizens who have served their country, according to the Office of Personnel Management’s website. Under federal law, veterans are entitled to preference over others in hiring for certain agency positions.

In a statement to MeriTalk, GSA Administrator Edward Forst said veterans “are a critical backbone of our agency.” He noted that veterans represent approximately 30% of GSA’s workforce.

“We categorically and completely disagree with a senior employee’s recent remarks denigrating veterans preferences in hiring,” Forst said. “He has been placed on administrative leave, effective immediately, until further notice.”

“GSA has zero tolerance for comments that disparage or disrespect America’s veterans,” Forst added. “The men and women who have worn and continue to wear our nation’s uniforms deserve our respect and unwavering support.”

MeriTalk previously reported on Waterman’s LinkedIn post, as well as public comments he made last month at GovForward’s Carahsoft FedRAMP Summit in Washington, D.C.

Speaking at the event, Waterman said the newly launched FedRAMP Cybersecurity Service had encountered “some glitches in the hiring process.”

Despite those challenges, Waterman said the service had accepted its first rotational employee from another federal agency and urged experienced cloud security professionals to consider public service.

“I can’t offer you more money. I can’t offer you a better job. I can’t offer you better benefits. But I can offer you working at FedRAMP, which is pretty damn cool, assuming that I can figure out how to get that hiring process to kick in properly,” he said.

In an exclusive interview with MeriTalk earlier this year, Waterman said the FedRAMP Cybersecurity Service planned to hire 15 employees for two-year terms of service. He said the goal is to create a rotating workforce model that combines career federal staff, agency detailees, and private-sector experts to help keep technical expertise current.

Waterman’s disciplinary action was first reported by GovExec.

DOD Expands Counter-Drone Marketplace for Faster Acquisition

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 13:02:02 GMT

The Department of Defense’s (DOD) Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) expanded its counter-unmanned aerial system (UAS) marketplace with new capabilities designed to help military organizations, domestic law enforcement agencies, and international allies and partners evaluate and acquire validated counter-drone technologies more quickly.

The enhancements are being delivered under a $15 million prototype Other Transaction Agreement awarded on May 8 to Kaizen Laboratories, an AI-native software company. According to the company’s press release, Kaizen engineered, accredited, and delivered the secure marketplace platform on an accelerated timeline.

According to DOD officials, the updated marketplace is designed to give authorized users faster access to validated counter-UAS technologies and streamline the acquisition process.

JIATF-401 said the marketplace supports its broader effort to strengthen collaboration among government agencies, industry, and allied nations by providing a common platform for validated counter-UAS capabilities and helping users make more informed acquisition decisions.

Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of JIATF 401, said the expanded marketplace will help organizations respond more quickly to the growing threat posed by small drones.

“Drones are a defining threat of our time,” Ross said. “The proliferation of small systems and small drones and the threat that they pose both to critical infrastructure and to defense critical assets requires us to move faster in this space. In order to address this threat, we are expanding the counter-UAS marketplace to allow us to share best practices and equipment globally.”

New AI-enabled capabilities offered in the marketplace include the “Capability Planner,” which allows users to describe operational requirements in plain language and receive recommendations for layered counter-UAS solutions assembled from validated marketplace listings. According to Kaizen, the Capability Planner will soon become operational.

DOD also said the platform supports the department’s Foreign Military Sales Fast Lane initiative by helping partners generate requirements more quickly and shortening procurement timelines. Vendors can publish product specifications and compliance information, while JIATF-401 independently validates marketplace listings before they become available to users.

“The marketplace is a critical step forward in our whole-of-government approach to countering the threat of unmanned systems,” Ross said in a separate Kaizen’s press release. “This platform is not only revolutionizing the entire procurement process, but also empowering users with the information and tools needed to safeguard our service members and citizens, while providing timely, cost-effective solutions to our warfighters.”

Salesforce Secures IL5 Authorization for Agentforce, Army HRC First to Deploy

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 09:00:55 GMT

Salesforce announced on Aug. 5 that it has secured Impact Level 5 (IL5) authorization for its Agentforce 360 platform, with the U.S. Army Human Resources Command (HRC) becoming the first Department of Defense (DOD) organization to deploy the technology.

Under the Trump administration, the DOD has been rebranded as the Department of War.

The new authorization allows DOD organizations to deploy Salesforce’s portfolio of artificial intelligence (AI) agents, data capabilities, and applications for workloads involving controlled unclassified information, expanding the company’s agentic AI offerings into more sensitive defense environments.

As part of the announcement, Army HRC plans to use Agentforce to provide 24/7 AI-powered support for 9.2 million soldiers, veterans, civilian employees, and military families.

According to Salesforce, the broader IL5 authorization also enables defense organizations to deploy Agentforce across mission areas including logistics, recruiting, and personnel management.

Ahead of the announcement, Kendall Collins, CEO of Missionforce and Government Cloud at Salesforce, told reporters during a media briefing last week that the company is expanding Agentforce into defense environments after seeing “incredible success” with the technology on the commercial side.

“We’re the first ones as a commercial software company, bringing an agentic platform that’s been productive in the commercial side into the national security environment,” Collins said.

“It’s not just that we’re delivering the technology, but we’ve also got one of our first customers,” he said, adding that HRC has “been a great partner.”

For Army HRC, the AI agents will respond to routine inquiries, summarize case histories, and surface relevant policy and career information from approved Army sources, according to a Salesforce press release. The company said more complex issues involving benefits or other sensitive decisions can be routed to HRC specialists, who will retain decision-making authority.

According to Salesforce, HRC processes more than 1,500 cases each day and supports one of the federal government’s largest workforces.

Collins said the Army deployment demonstrates how agentic AI can help organizations manage routine, high-volume interactions while freeing personnel to focus on more complex work.

“The HRC is managing 55 million conversations per month,” Collins said. “This is where agentic AI, I think, can really lift humans so they can focus on more important problems.”

OPM Launches Online Portal for Former Feds to Access Personnel Records

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:41:51 GMT

Former federal employees can now access their official personnel records electronically through the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) new Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) Document Request Service.

The secure online portal eliminates a manual process that often required paper forms, agency requests, or a request to the National Personnel Records Center.

“OPM is committed to modernizing the way the federal government serves its workforce,” OPM Director Scott Kupor said in an Aug. 4 press release. “The new Document Request Service replaces an outdated, paper-based process with a secure, efficient solution that gives former federal employees faster access to the records they need while improving customer service and reducing administrative burden.”

OPM explained that former federal employees often need personnel records – including Standard Form 50s and related employment documents – to verify federal service, support retirement and benefits claims, document employment history, and assist with security clearance processing.

Users can now access the Document Request Service through Login.gov, complete a one-time identity verification, and submit an online request. After OPM processes the request, users receive a secure email containing a time-limited download link to a password-protected ZIP file with their complete eOPF Employment Folder.

The service is available to separated federal employees whose personnel records are maintained in the eOPF system, as well as to current federal employees whose agencies do not provide government-furnished equipment for accessing their personnel records. Current employees who already have access to the eOPF application should continue to retrieve their records through that system, OPM said.

“The launch of the Document Request Service is part of OPM’s broader effort to modernize federal human resources systems, improve customer service, and reduce reliance on manual, paper-based processes across the federal government,” OPM said.

For more information on the service, OPM published a Document Request Service user guide. The service can be accessed here.

OPM Tells Agencies to Prioritize Tech Talent in FY 2027 Hiring Plans

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:38:21 GMT

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed federal agencies to make technology recruiting a central element in their fiscal year (FY) 2027 workforce plans and to target at least 33% of external hires for early-career workers.

In guidance issued July 30, OPM instructed agencies to incorporate dedicated hiring plans for artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, software engineering, data science, digital service delivery, and other technology positions into their staffing plans due Sept. 30.

The guidance said agencies should “identify where adoption of modern technology impacts the number and type of positions needed, and plan hiring accordingly.”

OPM also encouraged agencies to leverage the U.S. Tech Force program and its agency-specific extensions, such as NASA Force and War Force where applicable. It also encouraged agencies to leverage the CyberAICorps Scholarship for Service program as a pipeline for early-career AI and cybersecurity talent.

“Planning for technology and planning for talent are no longer separate conversations,” OPM Director Scott Kupor wrote in a July 30 blog post on the guidance.

OPM’s guidance also said that agencies must explicitly address how their staffing strategy will enable the use of modern technology, such as AI.

The guidance encouraged agencies to use the optional, fee-for-service AI Governance and Adoption Program to accelerate their AI programs. Agencies seeking AI support and additional information can contact AIGAP@opm.gov.

“In many cases, the right investment in technology will allow agencies to deliver better outcomes with greater speed and efficiency,” Kupor wrote. “In other cases, agencies will need to recruit new technical talent or upskill their existing workforce to take advantage of those opportunities.”

The guidance also establishes government-wide hiring targets that agencies must address in their FY 2027 staffing forecasts. Among them is a goal that at least 33% of all new external hires be early-career workers, including recent graduates, Pathways Program participants, interns, and other entry-level employees.

Agencies are also expected to fill at least 60% of external competitive-service hires from shared hiring certificates. All external hires must be assessed using a validated technical assessment or an OPM-approved alternative.

The memorandum also encourages agencies to locate new technology and customer-facing positions outside the Washington metropolitan area when mission requirements permit. OPM said this approach can reduce costs, expand the available talent pool, and strengthen agency presence in the communities they serve.

Under the guidance, agencies must submit their FY 2027 staffing plans and detailed hiring forecasts to OPM and the Office of Management and Budget by Sept. 30, followed by quarterly progress updates measuring performance against the government’s hiring targets.

Senate Report Questions ICE Data Collection Practices

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:12:38 GMT

A report released by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, alleges the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) collects, retains, and shares personal information obtained during immigration enforcement operations. The report raises concerns that existing databases and facial-recognition technology could be used to monitor protesters and other individuals encountered by immigration officers.

The report examines how ICE collects, stores, and shares information gathered during immigration enforcement operations and immigration-related protests, including whether the agency maintains what the report describes as a ‘domestic terrorism’ database of people involved in those protests.

According to the report, former acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, in a letter to members of Congress, denied that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maintains a single domestic terrorism database.

“But there is evidence that protesters have been tracked, and agents and officers have photographed protesters and compiled intelligence reports about them,” the report states.

According to the report, Lyons’ letter says ICE collects information under two separate legal authorities rather than maintaining a single domestic terrorism database.

ICE collects information under criminal authorities involving people suspected of crimes against federal personnel or property, or of interfering with federal operations. The report says the agency also gathers information under its civil immigration authorities, including encounters in which U.S. citizens may be asked to establish their citizenship. Information collected during those encounters may remain in government systems even if an individual is not arrested or detained and may later be shared with federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, or foreign partners when officials determine there is a “need to know.”

“Unfortunately, the need to know is likely quite broad now that the Administration has labeled people who disagree with its immigration agenda as Antifa, in other words, terrorists,” the report states.

Additionally, the report highlights Mobile Fortify, a facial-recognition application developed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and used by both CBP and ICE. According to the report, officers use the app to photograph individuals and compare those images against existing photo collections. The report indicates that DHS has not adequately addressed the privacy implications of its use during immigration enforcement.

“This facial recognition application is exactly the type of technology that needs proper privacy mitigations, but the documentation suggests that DHS is relying on previous work that has little bearing on how Mobile Fortify is now being used to cover its statutory responsibilities without actually protecting Americans’ privacy,” the report states.

More broadly, the report concludes that DHS is collecting and retaining information connected to immigration enforcement encounters and protests without adequately addressing privacy protections or demonstrating that all of the information was lawfully collected.

“Regardless of these claims, the implications of individuals’ right to engage in First Amendment protected activity, including peaceful protest, are clear – DHS is collecting and retaining information that may not be properly protected or lawfully collected, and appears intended to intimidate and chill speech,” the report states.

NIH Taps Maureen Falvella as Permanent CIO

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 16:36:20 GMT

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) named Maureen Falvella as its permanent chief information officer (CIO) and director of the Office of the CIO, effective July 26.

Falvella had led NIH’s technology organization in an acting capacity since September 2025 following the departure of former CIO Adele Merritt in August 2025.

Her permanent appointment puts a longtime NIH technology and cybersecurity leader in charge of the agency’s $1.9 billion IT portfolio, which supports all 27 NIH institutes and centers.

“I’m honored to share that I’ve been selected to serve as NIH’s permanent Chief Information Officer and Director of the Office of the Chief Information Officer, effective July 26, 2026,” Falvella announced on LinkedIn.

Falvella has spent more than 15 years at NIH in a series of technology and cybersecurity leadership roles, including deputy chief information security officer. During that time, she worked on initiatives including RECOVER, BioData Catalyst, and NIH’s first extramural research risk management framework. She also chaired the task force that established security standards now used across NIH’s controlled-access data repositories.

Looking ahead, Falvella said she plans to strengthen collaboration across NIH’s decentralized IT environment while expanding the use of open-source technologies.

“I want to bring more unity to how NIH’s 27 Institutes and Centers are supported by IT, and to open-source more of what we build – compliance-as-code, design patterns, metadata schemas – so the broader biomedical research ecosystem can build on it too,” Falvella said.

Falvella also said she will help lead technology efforts supporting NIH’s Bio Genesis Mission and the agency’s Real-World Data Platform initiative.

The Bio Genesis Mission is NIH’s contribution to the broader federal Genesis Mission, a White House initiative that seeks to use artificial intelligence and advanced computing to accelerate scientific discovery across government. The Bio Genesis Mission is a long-term modernization effort for biomedical research.

The Real-World Data Platform is part of NIH’s broader unified research strategy and focuses on developing national-scale data infrastructure to support biomedical research through the integration and use of real-world health data.

DISA Selects AttackIQ as DOD Enterprise Platform for Adversarial Exposure Validation

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:01:50 GMT

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has selected AttackIQ as the Department of Defense’s (DOD) enterprise platform for Adversarial Exposure Validation, establishing a common operational capability across the department to continuously validate the effectiveness of cyber defenses against real-world adversary behavior.

According to the announcement, the deployment will span all military services, combatant commands, and defense agencies. It will provide DOD leadership with enterprise-wide visibility into cyber readiness while enabling organizations to continuously validate security controls, detections, and defensive processes against adversary techniques most likely to target their missions.

The deployment will be implemented by DISA and supported across the DOD Information Network, creating what the announcement describes as the department’s first enterprise-wide capability for continuously measuring defensive effectiveness through evidence-based adversary emulation.

“By standardizing on AttackIQ as its enterprise Adversarial Exposure Validation platform, the Department of War is establishing a common operational framework for continuously measuring cyber readiness while leveraging AI to automate analysis, prioritize operational risk, and optimize defensive operations at enterprise scale,” said Carl Wright, chief commercial officer of AttackIQ.

As part of the deployment, the department will also use AttackIQ’s AVA Agentic OS, described as an agentic operating system built for cybersecurity missions, along with Watchtower, the company’s Hyper-Localized AI Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyzer.
According to the announcement, the AI-powered capabilities are intended to support the department’s strategy to modernize cyber operations by accelerating the operational use of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate cyber analysis, prioritize mission-relevant threats, and continuously optimize defensive operations.

The deployment is intended to support a range of cybersecurity use cases, including continuous validation of cyber defensive operations, threat intelligence-driven adversary emulation, detection coverage analysis and optimization, security control validation and defense optimization, zero-trust architecture validation, and more.

According to the announcement, the deployment of AVA Agentic OS and Watchtower will automate cyber missions through teams of specialized AI agents.

The capabilities are designed to continuously analyze mission-specific threat intelligence, identify adversary techniques relevant to each defense agency, orchestrate autonomous validation missions, optimize defensive controls, and provide department leadership with a real-time view of the effectiveness and readiness of cyber defensive operations across the global enterprise.

DOD CIO Issues New IT Category Management Policy

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:25:55 GMT

The Department of Defense’s (DOD) chief information officer (CIO) has approved a new instruction establishing policy, responsibilities, and procedures for information technology category management (ITCM) across the department.

Under the Trump administration, the DOD adopted War Department as a secondary title following a presidential executive order.

DOD CIO Kirsten Davies approved the instruction on July 23, and it took effect July 29. The instruction cancels a July 26, 2000, memorandum on acquiring commercially available software and establishes a department-wide framework for managing IT acquisitions.

The instruction applies to all DOD components and covers IT services, hardware, software, licenses, and other IT assets, including national security systems within DOD authorities and defense business systems.

The policy directs the department to buy common IT goods and services as an organized entity, establish enterprise capabilities that achieve economies of scale, and maintain a secure cyber posture throughout category management processes.

The department will also identify opportunities to optimize and consolidate IT purchasing through core enterprise technology agreements, enterprise software agreements, and joint enterprise licensing agreements.

Over the last few months, the department has already begun pursuing the type of enterprise-wide purchasing approach outlined in the instruction.

Last month, the DOD announced a $7 billion enterprise software agreement with Oracle. In May 2026, the department awarded Dell Federal Systems a $9.7 billion Core Enterprise Technology Agreement establishing a unified contract vehicle for Microsoft products and services.

The instruction also creates new governance bodies to oversee the department’s ITCM strategy.

The policy establishes the ITCM Cross Functional Board (CFB) as the senior executive-level body overseeing specified acquisition procedures.

The board reports to the DOD CIO Executive Board and is chaired by the deputy chief information officer for the information enterprise. Standing members will represent the departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with the Defense Health Agency, Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Manpower Data Center, and Missile Defense Agency. Other DOD components may be added as needed.

It also establishes the DOD Enterprise Software Initiative Working Group to execute the department’s ITCM strategy.

The working group will focus on four areas:

Optimizing IT asset prices and performance through demand management processes, including uniform refresh cycles and aggregated buying events
Reducing unaligned spending and increasing the use of best-in-class solutions while considering socioeconomic responsibilities
Minimizing or eliminating restrictive software licensing practices affecting cloud computing efforts where possible
Standardizing and consolidating laptop and desktop configurations while ensuring components use authorized contract vehicles

The group includes representatives from all DOD components and is co-chaired by designees of the secretary of the Navy and the chair of the CFB.

Senate Funding Plan Extends TMF, Cyber Authorities Into December

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:19:41 GMT

Senate appropriators on Aug. 2 announced a bipartisan plan to keep the government funded through Dec. 11, while extending authorization for the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF), the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA 2015), and the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act.

The draft continuing resolution (CR) would largely maintain current government funding levels through Dec. 11 and prevent several key federal technology and cybersecurity authorities from expiring at the end of the fiscal year.

TMF gets extension

The TMF extension comes days after a coalition of leading technology organizations sent a July 30 letter urging Senate appropriators to continue the program.

Created under the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017, the TMF provides agencies with funding for technology modernization projects that they can repay over time.

The letter, spearheaded by the Alliance for Digital Innovation (ADI), warned appropriators that the TMF’s authorization is set to expire on Sept.30 without congressional action. It explained that the Technology Modernization Board would be unable to make new investments if the Sept. 30 deadline passes, but it could continue oversight of existing investments.

The letter cited a recent Government Accountability Office report, which found that the fund had achieved “small savings” so far but is expecting “substantial future savings.” Of the 68 TMF projects approved so far, GAO said, 11 have saved a total of $13.5 million, with 24 expected to save a combined $1.06 billion over time.

“We were thrilled to see the Senate include the TMF authorization language in the CR, so the fund can deliver on the savings that technology modernization brings to the taxpayer,” Ross Nodurft, executive director of ADI, told MeriTalk.

“We understand that this extension only lasts until December 11th, and we will continue to work with Congress to authorize and support this important fund going forward,” Nodurft said.

CISA 2015, Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act also get extensions

In addition to the extension of the TMF, the CR also includes extensions of CISA 2015 and the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act through Dec. 11.

CISA 2015 established a legal framework for government and the private sector to share cybersecurity threat data.

The Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act formally codified and authorized the National Cybersecurity Protection System (NCPS). The extension reauthorizes the NCPS program, which helps agencies detect and prevent cyber threats from compromising the federal civilian government’s IT infrastructure. The program is overseen by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

The Senate’s CR comes after the House passed a bill on July 21 to temporarily fund the government through Dec. 4, seeking to avoid a potential government shutdown before the midterm elections in November. The Senate bill would extend funding through Dec. 11, one week longer than the House proposal.

CDT Details Privacy, Security Risks of Government Data Consolidation

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 18:43:32 GMT

A new report from the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) warns that government data consolidation can create significant privacy, civil liberties, and cybersecurity risks, whether agencies place information in a single database or use a federated model.

In its July 2026 report, “What Is a Database? A Technical Guide to the Personal and Institutional Considerations of Government Data Consolidation,” CDT said limited and targeted interagency data sharing can reduce administrative burdens, improve service coordination, and help prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.

However, the report said recent efforts by the Trump administration have gone beyond targeted data sharing by seeking to consolidate information held by federal, state, and local agencies. CDT said the push has intensified public debate over privacy and data security and led to more than 20 lawsuits against federal agencies alleging violations of long-standing privacy laws.

That debate has partly focused on whether the government is creating a “master database.” Although the federal government has disputed that characterization, CDT said the type of consolidation model used in the effort does not eliminate the underlying privacy, civil liberties, and cybersecurity risks.

To illustrate that point, the report examines two primary models for consolidating government data: warehousing and federation.

Under a warehouse model, agencies consolidate information in a centralized database. Under a federated model, agencies retain their own databases while permitting access across systems.

CDT said the two models differ in how data is stored, controlled, updated, and removed from a sharing arrangement. However, the report said a federated system can provide much of the same functionality as a centralized database. As a result, both approaches can raise similar privacy, civil liberties, and cybersecurity concerns tied to broader government access to personal information.

Those risks increase, CDT said, when information is used for purposes further removed from the reason it was originally collected. Data provided to obtain a government service or benefit, for example, may later be repurposed for immigration enforcement, surveillance, or intimidation. CDT also said consolidated data could increase the government’s capacity to monitor individuals, suppress dissent, and chill speech and protest.

Expanded access also creates cybersecurity concerns. CDT said each additional way to access information can increase the chance that it will be exposed through human error or a security vulnerability. A large, centralized store may also attract more hacking attempts because it could give an attacker access to a greater amount of information at once.

Under a warehouse model, a breach at one participating agency could allow an attacker to use that agency’s access to reach information contributed by other agencies. A federated model avoids placing all information in one store, but the agency that originally collected the data may still lose some control over how another agency protects information it receives.

CDT called for consolidation initiatives to be rigorously assessed to ensure appropriate protections, alignment with agency missions, and processes that prevent information from being repurposed in ways that harm the people agencies serve.

GSA, National Design Studio Partner to Overhaul Login.gov User Experience

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:03:55 GMT

The General Services Administration (GSA) is partnering with the White House National Design Studio to redesign the Login.gov user experience as the federal government’s shared identity platform approaches its 10-year anniversary.

According to an Aug. 3 GSA blog post, the collaboration is part of a broader effort to improve Login.gov for both the public and federal agency partners.

“The Login.gov team is collaborating with the National Design Studio to substantially improve the user experience,” GSA said. “This collaboration enables Login.gov to better understand user needs, identify friction points, and provide users with a more intuitive experience during the identity verification process.”

The agency said the effort is intended to simplify each step of identity verification while continuing to meet federal privacy, security, and identity standards.

The design initiative is one of several updates GSA highlighted. The agency also pointed to ongoing investments in fraud detection and prevention capabilities.

“As threats become more sophisticated, including attempts that may use artificial intelligence, GSA will stay ahead of these threats by continuously strengthening Login.gov’s anti-fraud capabilities to keep the product secure, accessible, and reliable,” GSA said.

The agency also highlighted a recently announced lower pricing model for partners.

GSA said the new pricing structure allows agencies to “reduce duplication, improve security, and provide a more consistent experience for the public.”

Since launching in April 2017, Login.gov has emphasized privacy as a foundational design principle, with protections built into the platform’s architecture and governance model. GSA said the service enables people to access government services without their personal information being used for commercial purposes.

Looking ahead, GSA said it plans to build on these improvements to expand Login.gov’s security, availability, and usability as the platform approaches its 10-year anniversary. The agency said it will share additional updates as this work progresses.

CISA Urges Water Utilities to Disconnect Exposed Systems

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:40:03 GMT

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on July 30 warned water and wastewater utilities that it is seeing a “significant increase” in cyber threat activity targeting internet-exposed programmable logic controllers (PLCs). The agency urged operators to remove those devices from direct internet access immediately.

According to a July 30 CISA alert, threat actors have altered PLC passwords to lock operators out of systems and changed device IP addresses to disconnect controllers from networks. The agency said those attacks have already led to boil water notices and forced some utilities to rely on sustained manual operations.

“These threat actors are targeting water entities of all sizes,” CISA said. “Even water organizations with mature cybersecurity processes should validate their external connections, as this targeting activity includes cellular modems installed by operators, vendors, or system integrators that may not be documented or included in routine attack surface scans.”

The agency said internet-exposed operational technology (OT) assets face a greater risk of unauthorized configuration changes, service disruptions, equipment defacement, and physical damage.

To reduce those risks, CISA recommended that organizations disconnect PLCs from the public internet and instead route remote access through a virtual private network (VPN) or secure gateway.

The agency also advised utilities to enable password protection, replace default credentials, restrict remote access to approved IP addresses, and maintain verified backups of PLC images in case operators are locked out of devices.

For organizations using Rockwell Automation MicroLogix 1400 PLCs, CISA directed operators to the vendor’s guidance on restoring controller access after passwords have been changed.

“What concerns me most is that these events are becoming less surprising,” Gary Barlet, public sector chief technology officer at Illumio, told MeriTalk.

“During periods of geopolitical tension, critical infrastructure operators should expect increased probing, scanning, and attempted intrusions,” Barlet added. “The question is no longer whether organizations might become targets, but whether they’re prepared when they do.”

Felipe Fernandez, chief technology officer at Fortinet Federal, added, “CISA’s warning shows how quickly cyber risk can become operational and public-health risk when PLCs are directly accessible from the internet.”

“Water and wastewater operators should remove direct exposure, secure remote access, segment critical systems, monitor OT activity, and maintain tested recovery procedures,” Fernandez said.

The CISA alert comes as federal agencies respond to a broader wave of cyber activity targeting U.S. water systems. In a joint public service announcement released Thursday, the FBI and Environmental Protection Agency said water and wastewater utilities in at least seven states have reported cyber incidents since July 27 involving internet-facing OT devices, including PLCs.

CISA’s warning also follows this week’s cyberattacks against more than 30 municipal water systems in Minnesota. Federal and state investigators are examining the incidents, and while media reports have cited officials who believe Iranian hackers are the likely perpetrators, the FBI and Minnesota have not publicly attributed the attacks or confirmed a responsible actor.

State officials said the attacks caused operational disruptions at some utilities but did not affect drinking water safety.

“Minnesota shows what [gaps] looks like in practice. The attacks do not appear to have required sophisticated techniques; exposed controllers and default credentials may have been enough,” Bill Wright, head of government affairs at Everpure, said in a statement to MeriTalk.

“Basic cyber hygiene could have gone a long way, but utilities must also ensure that the operational data supporting this sector remains accurate, available, and recoverable,” Wright added.

Adam Ford, chief technology officer for state and local government and education at Zscaler and former CISO for the state of Illinois, said, “Smaller water utilities are being asked to defend against nation-state attackers with limited staff and aging infrastructure. Zero trust meets them where they are: take OT off the public internet, verify every connection, and shrink the attack surface with the resources you have today.”

AI Policy Groups Urge White House Investigation Into OpenAI Security Incident

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:18:52 GMT

A coalition of artificial intelligence (AI) policy, safety, and research organizations is urging the Trump administration to open an independent investigation into the recent cybersecurity incident in which OpenAI models escaped a sandboxed environment and breached systems operated by Hugging Face.

In a July 30 letter, the group asked the administration to work with independent auditors to determine how the breach occurred, evaluate whether current AI safety safeguards and reporting mechanisms were adequate, and identify steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The request follows OpenAI’s disclosure last week that a combination of its frontier AI models escaped a testing environment during an internal cybersecurity evaluation and compromised Hugging Face infrastructure before both companies contained the incident.

“We could not have asked for a clearer warning shot,” the coalition wrote in the letter. “While there is little doubt that they will bring opportunities and benefits across a wide range of domains, AI models at today’s frontier pose increasingly severe risks to our private sector, our national security, and the American public.”

The letter also urges the White House to use the investigation’s findings to build on the administration’s June 2 executive order by establishing a rules-based process for assessing risks posed by advanced AI systems.

According to OpenAI, the models involved in the recent breach were being evaluated for advanced cyber capabilities, and some cyber safety restrictions were disabled when they escaped the testing environment and exploited vulnerabilities to reach Hugging Face’s systems. The companies have since launched a joint investigation and announced additional security controls.

In addition to the recent breach, the letter points to other AI safety incidents, which the signatories say demonstrate that increasingly capable frontier AI systems can behave in unintended ways.

These include the release of Anthropic’s Mythos model earlier this year, which highlighted advanced cyber capabilities, and a 2025 Anthropic test in which one of the company’s models reportedly used blackmail and self-preservation tactics during a controlled evaluation.

“These and other similar incidents show that frontier models can behave in ways their developers do not intend and that existing safeguards may be insufficient to prevent,” the AI coalition wrote in the letter.

The letter is led by Brad Carson, president of Americans for Responsible Innovation, and Brendan Steinhauser, chief executive officer of The Alliance for Secure AI.

Other signatories include representatives from CivAI, FAR.AI, Palisade Research, the Transformative Futures Institute, Demand Progress Action, ForHumanity, the Future of Life Institute, Humans in Control, Public Citizen, and several independent AI researchers and policy experts.

Anthropic discloses similar incidents

Notably, the same day the coalition sent the letter, Anthropic announced that it discovered several incidents in its own cybersecurity evaluations, similar to OpenAI’s breach of Hugging Face.

In a July 30 blog post, Anthropic said it “found three incidents in which a Claude model reached the internet from within or while interacting with a third-party evaluation environment, and then gained unauthorized access to the real systems of three different organizations.”

Anthropic said it conducted a large-scale retrospective review of its cybersecurity evaluations after learning of the OpenAI models that accessed Hugging Face. The company is encouraging other AI labs to perform similar reviews.

Federal CIO Greg Barbaccia to Return to Palantir

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:11:11 GMT

Greg Barbaccia will return to Palantir after stepping down as the federal chief information officer (CIO) and chief AI officer (CAIO) on Aug. 31.

During a U.S. Digital Corps graduation ceremony on July 29, General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Edward Forst shared that Barbaccia would be returning to Palantir.

“[Barbaccia has] been an unbelievable partner to me in so many things: technology, professional, business and personal,” Forst said on stage. “Luckily, Palantir gets you back in that way.”

According to Barbaccia’s LinkedIn profile, he first joined Palantir Technologies in 2010 as a government account manager. Over the course of a decade at the company, he served in several roles, including head of intelligence and investigations, before departing in January 2020.

Barbaccia joined the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in January 2025 following subsequent roles at Elementus and Theorem. Earlier in his career, he served in the U.S. Army as an intelligence sergeant and intelligence community analyst in the 2000s.

In addition to serving as federal CIO and CAIO under OMB, Barbaccia is also the acting director of GSA’s Technology Transformation Services.

News about Barbaccia’s departure was confirmed on July 7.

During his tenure as the Trump administration’s top federal IT official, Barbaccia made improving government service delivery a central priority. He urged agencies to focus on measurable outcomes rather than compliance metrics while modernizing federal websites and digital services.

He also championed broader adoption of AI across the federal government, advocating for AI and technical skills to become core competencies for the federal workforce and supporting efforts to strengthen agencies’ ability to recruit top technology talent.

Air Force Tests Collaborative Combat Aircraft in Operational Exercise

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:56:12 GMT

The U.S. Air Force tested its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) in a realistic operational exercise at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., that moved the semi-autonomous aircraft beyond a traditional flight-test environment, according to the service.

The CCA program aims to field uncrewed aircraft alongside crewed fighter aircraft to enhance operations in contested environments, according to the Congressional Research Service.

“Air superiority in today’s increasingly contested environments requires the rapid fielding of affordable mass,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach said. “CCA are essential to this effort. By integrating uncrewed systems to fly alongside our Airmen, we extend reach and increase lethality.”

The exercise comes as lawmakers and the White House pursue different funding priorities for the program. As MeriTalk previously reported, the House-passed fiscal year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act would reduce research and development funding for CCA by nearly $137 million, while the White House’s FY 2027 budget proposal would provide nearly $1 billion in procurement funding to begin acquiring the aircraft.

Throughout the multi-day Agile Combat Employment exercise, the Experimental Operations Unit – the Air Force’s designated unit for developing CCA employment concepts – generated multiple sorties, integrated with manned platforms in local airspace, and conducted simulated scenarios to inform future requirements for the platform, according to the Air Force.

“This exercise was about getting the systems into the hands of the warfighter,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Jensen, commander of the Experimental Operations Unit. “We are focused on operating CCA outside of a traditional test environment so we can continue to learn, inform, and rapidly iterate.”

The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center observed the event under a new rapid operational-testing process. Brig. Gen. Jesse Friedel, the center’s commander, said test teams can use warfighter-run exercises to collect and analyze data for fielding decisions “well ahead of the normal process to deliver combat capability.”

By leveraging competition and including operators in the development process from the beginning, the EOU is speeding the delivery of combat-ready, uncrewed airpower, the Air Force said. The CCA program has moved from concept to flight testing in less than two years.

“The exercise was not only a test of technology but a testament to the warfighters who are actively shaping CCA development,” Wilsbach said. “The lessons learned at Creech will directly influence how the Air Force integrates these cutting-edge concepts into future combat ops.”

Judge Questions Pentagon Evidence Behind Anthropic Supply-Chain Risk Designation

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:48:40 GMT

A federal judge on July 30 said the Defense Department (DOD) has not produced sufficient evidence to justify its designation of Anthropic as a supply-chain risk, as both parties seek summary judgment in the AI company’s legal challenge to the designation.

“I don’t see additional evidence from the government really justifying what it did. If anything, it seems like the record, in some ways, has gotten worse for the government,” Lin said at Thursday’s hearing in San Francisco.

The case has become a closely watched test of the government’s authority to restrict AI providers from federal networks on national security grounds.

Lin questioned the government’s assertion that Anthropic posed a supply-chain risk because it could modify its AI models after they had been deployed.

“I don’t see evidence that Anthropic could alter the model after it was delivered or flip some kind of kill switch,” Lin said.

Thursday’s hearing marked the parties’ second appearance before Lin. During a March hearing, she called the government’s treatment of Anthropic “troubling” and said it appeared to be “an attempt to cripple Anthropic.”

Lin later issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the supply-chain risk designation, finding that Anthropic had demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits and would suffer irreparable harm without an injunction.

However, the ruling did not require the DOD to retain Anthropic technology on its networks, and the department has continued removing the company’s software from defense systems while the litigation proceeds.

The dispute stems from disagreements over how the DOD intended to use Anthropic’s Claude AI models. DOD sought to use Claude for “all lawful purposes,” including the most sensitive military and intelligence applications. Anthropic objected to two uses: mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. The dispute escalated after President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to sever ties with Anthropic, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated the company a supply-chain risk.

Anthropic subsequently filed two lawsuits alleging unlawful retaliation. The administration has defended the designation as a lawful national security measure.

The lawsuits have produced differing rulings on the government’s authority to restrict Anthropic’s technology.

Lin is considering a final ruling in California, following the preliminary injunction. Meanwhile, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit during parallel proceedings after it previously declined to halt the Pentagon’s restrictions.

The differing approaches could ultimately send the dispute to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Regardless of the litigation’s outcome, the Pentagon’s transition away from Anthropic technology is continuing.

Under the president’s directive, defense components and defense industrial base partners must remove all Anthropic software from their networks by Sept. 29, 2026.

DOD Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael recently said the department has completed roughly two-thirds of its transition from Anthropic-based infrastructure to competing providers.

Michael said alternative platforms, including OpenAI and Google Gemini, are being deployed across classified networks with minimal disruption.

Under the Trump administration, the DOD adopted War Department as a secondary title following a presidential executive order.

Tech Groups Urge Senate Appropriators to Extend TMF Authorization

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:12:09 GMT

A coalition of leading technology organizations is urging Senate appropriators to extend authorization for the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF), which is set to expire on Sept. 30 without congressional action.

In a July 30 letter shared with MeriTalk, the coalition warned Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the Senate Appropriations Committee chairwoman, and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the vice chair, that the Technology Modernization Board would be unable to make new investments if the Sept. 30 deadline passes. Existing investments would continue.

“Extending the TMF … protects the [Trump] Administration’s priorities around artificial intelligence adoption, modernization of legacy systems, and cybersecurity improvements,” said the letter, which requested the extension as part of a continuing resolution temporarily funding the federal government that the Senate is considering.

“It preserves the value of investments already made across dozens of agencies and reflects the long-standing bipartisan support for the program in both chambers,” added the letter, which was signed by the Alliance for Digital Innovation (ADI), the Advanced Technology Academic Research Center (ATARC), the Business Software Alliance (BSA), and the Center for Procurement Advocacy (CPA).

Created under the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017, the TMF provides agencies with funding for technology modernization projects that they can repay over time.

From fiscal years 2018 through 2025, the TMF received more than $1 billion in net appropriations, which the board used to invest about $1.03 billion in 68 unclassified IT modernization projects, according to a July 23 Government Accountability Office report.

Spokespeople for Collins and Murray have not responded to requests for comment on the coalition’s letter.

The House on July 21 passed a bill to temporarily fund the government through Dec. 4, seeing to avoid a potential government shutdown before the midterm elections in November. The Senate has not acted.

When it does, the coalition emphasized the TMF’s projected cost savings in urging appropriators to extend authorization for the fund and the board.

Its letter cited the recent GAO report, which found that the fund had achieved “small savings” so far but is expecting “substantial future savings.” Of the 68 TMF projects approved so far, GAO said, 11 have saved a total of $13.5 million, with 24 expected to save a combined $1.06 billion over time.

The TMF’s acting Executive Director, Jessie Posilkin, also said during a recent public appearance that the TMF has delivered about $12 billion in estimated cost savings and efficiency gains.

“We appreciate the Administration’s commitment to a more efficient, technology-enabled government,” said the coalition’s letter, which noted that the administration’s fiscal year 2027 budget request assumed reauthorization of the TMF – and that officials have said not extending authorization would reduce projected savings and delay critical cybersecurity and modernization efforts.

“Interrupting the fund at the start of fiscal year 2027 would therefore put at risk the very period in which the bulk of its expected return to taxpayers is projected to materialize, while stalling agency modernization and cybersecurity projects already underway,” the letter said.

Telecom Leaders Say Permitting Reform Is Key to AI-Ready Fiber Networks

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:04:41 GMT

As demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure accelerates, outdated permitting processes are slowing deployment of the fiber networks needed to support it, telecommunications leaders told senators during a July 30 hearing.

Witnesses before the Senate Commerce Committee’s Telecommunications and Media Subcommittee said the United States already has the technology and private-sector investment needed to expand fiber networks. The biggest challenge, they argued, is a permitting system that can delay construction for months or years, slowing deployment of the infrastructure needed to support AI.

“AI runs on infrastructure, and infrastructure runs on fiber,” Subcommittee Chair Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said, warning that growing AI demand requires removing barriers to broadband deployment.

Jonathan Spalter, president and CEO of USTelecom, said permitting reform, cybersecurity, and sustainable broadband funding are all essential to preparing the nation’s communications infrastructure for AI.

But he argued that modernizing permitting rules would have the most immediate impact by allowing providers to deploy fiber networks faster.

“The biggest barrier to building the broadband infrastructure our country needs isn’t technology or investment … It’s outdated permitting processes,” Spalter said.

Spalter said providers often spend more time waiting for permits than actually constructing broadband networks. He urged Congress to establish consistent permitting timelines and modernize federal, state, Tribal, and local review processes while preserving environmental and historic review requirements.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., echoed those concerns, saying lengthy permitting reviews continue to slow infrastructure projects nationwide. She said establishing reasonable permitting “shot clocks” would help communities gain broadband access more quickly while supporting economic growth.

Other witnesses echoed that assessment, arguing that permitting delays threaten the deployment of the fiber infrastructure needed to support AI.

Nebraska Public Service Commissioner Dan Watermeier said permitting delays are especially consequential because fiber remains the only broadly deployable technology capable of supporting AI-era traffic.

“Not every technology can easily meet the FCC’s current 100 by 20 technology threshold. Meanwhile, fiber optic networks can greatly exceed these speed thresholds and are capable of meeting our needs into the foreseeable future,” Watermeier said.

Cisco’s Bob Everson also argued that providers are ready to build, but outdated permitting processes continue to delay deployment.

“The sooner we can speed that permitting process along, the better, because then we can get to the work of deploying those resources,” he said.